"I SAY TO YOU,
YOU ARE PETER, THE ROCK"
YOU ARE PETER, THE ROCK"
"The Lord is my shepherd; there is
nothing I shall want" (Ps 23:1). Jesus Christ is the One Who leads us!
"You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God" (Mt 16:17). The famous text from Matthew's Gospel gives
witness to Jesus granting Peter the awesome position of being the rock upon
which the Church will be built (cf. Mt. 16:18). The word "rock" comes
from the Aramaic name of Peter, which is "Kephas."
This "chair," which the Church
celebrates today, refers to the one who is the occupant, not the furniture
itself! Of course, the "chair of Peter" is a symbol of the pope's
authority. St. Peter and his successors, the popes, ensure the unity of the
Catholic Church. Because the pope is the "rock" that we hear about in
Matthew's Gospel, it is he who affirms what is believed. He holds the
"keys to the Kingdom" in so far as he teaches the world the way of
life that leads to eternal fulfillment.
The reading from first Letter of Saint
Peter, today, portrays the very nature of a shepherd. He is gentle and pastoral
as he teaches one how to be an effective minister and teacher of Jesus Christ
and His Church. Jesus gave Peter these words of instruction, "Feed My
sheep" (Jn 21:17). As Jesus teaches and Peter learns, it is all about
imitating Christ. And the same holds true in our time, it's all about the
imitation of Jesus Christ.
In today's Responsorial Psalm we
acclaim, "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want" (Ps
23:1). Jesus Christ is the One Who leads us!